This site is devoted to coverage of Missoula area legislative races and ballot issues. The articles were produced by students at the University of Montana School of Journalism.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

HOUSE DISTRICT 95: Sands’ win no surprise

REPUBLICAN OPPONENT STAYED OUT OF SIGHT

By MELISSA JENSEN and CATE OLIVER

The outcome of the race for House District 95 was not the surprise of the day for winning Democrat Diane Sands.

Up against a nearly invisible opponent, there was little question in Sands’ mind that she would win re-election.

“I am honored to again represent the people of House District 95,” said Sands.

Republican Kevin Blackler said during the campaign that he preferred to stay out of the public eye and not be involved in the political process.

So for Sands, the surprising moments of the day were spread across the hours she spent as an election judge at Hellgate Elementary.

There she saw four young men celebrate their 18th birthdays by registering to vote and casting their ballots.

And she watched as tears rolled down the face of a woman in a wheelchair who was able to cast her own ballot at an AutoMARK machine for the disabled.

Those moments, she said, summed up why she’s involved in politics.

“I could care less about who they vote for, just that they do it,” Sands said before the election.

Now that she’s been re-elected to a second term, Sands’ attention turns to the upcoming legislative session. She’ll now get the chance to continue working on several bills she began in the last meeting of the state legislature.

One bill deals with general revisions to election law. It would review the state’s election laws and how they work together and possibly get rid of any out-dated material.

Another bill deals with voting by mail. If passed, it would set up a pilot project in several counties to look at the effectiveness of strictly mail-in ballot elections.

Efforts to get reaction to the race’s outcome from Kevin Blackler went unanswered Tuesday night.